WATCH: Tearful Lionel Messi gets near two-minute applause at media briefing

Lionel Messi fought back tears during a press conference on Sunday at which he confirmed he is leaving Barcelona, where he has played his entire career.

The 34-year-old Argentinian superstar, six times a Ballon d'Or winner, has been out of contract since the end of June and Barca say they cannot afford to keep him, with Messi admitting that a move to Paris Saint-Germain is a "possibility".

Reporters and others gathered in the press conference room where he spoke applauded him for several minutes as he took the stage at the start and again as he left the stage to embrace staff in the club's trophy room.

Cash rich PSG are one of the few clubs able to afford the Argentinian who confirmed he is leaving the club where he has played his entire career.

A move to Paris would reunite Messi, 34, with his close friend Neymar with whom he played at Barcelona.

However, Messi said that "nothing has been signed with anyone" and insisted that a picture of him which has made waves on social media in recent days of him on holiday with PSG stars including Neymar and Angel Di Maria was "just a photo".

He said there was no question of his having engineered a path to the Parc des Princes, adding that there had been interest from other clubs.

"When the press release (of his departure) was published, I received a lot of calls from interested clubs," he told reporters.

"For the moment nothing is arranged but, yes, we are in discussion."